Former Saints Star Gives Tyler Shough Stamp Of Approval

The vibe around the New Orleans Saints certainly is in a different place right now than it was a few weeks ago.

Now, the Saints are a 2-8 football team still. So, it's not like the playoffs are likely. New Orleans would have to win out and also get lucky in the process to even have a shot. But, the vibe has shifted because of young quarterback Tyler Shough.

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He only has two starts under his belt and is 1-1. But, that one win over the Carolina Panthers was enough to change the conversation from all of the problems in the organization, to what the team potentially got right. The Saints' bye week helped add to the good vibes. New Orleans beat the Panthers and then had an extra week to celebrate the win.

The Saints made the right call

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks on during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Former Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu was asked about what change needs to be made for New Orleans and said it already has been made with Shough on his "In the Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu" podcast.

"I think they made the change," Mathieu said. "And this isn't a knock on Spence, I love him, right. But, I think going to the young kid, I think gave the team some spark, man. I think, especially from a receiver's standpoint, it's like he's not scared to push the ball downfield and I think that when you have the Chris Olave's and guys like that on your team, you've got to be willing to throw the ball deep and keep them engaged in the game. I felt like this past weekend against the (Carolina Panthers), man, that was probably Olave's best game."

We'll see if he can carry the momentum into another rivalry matchup this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, but things have shifted for the organization since the decision was made to start Shough.

That's not a shot at Rattler. He showed clear progress as the Saints' starter. But, sometimes a change needs to be made in general to spark something for a franchise and New Orleans did that.

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